Physical Media Just Can't Catch A Break Right Now

Most manufacturers like Sony and Panasonic have not released new Blu-ray models since 2018, and the PS5 remains arguably one of the highest-profile players on the market today.

But even PlayStation has been slowly moving away from physical media. The PS5 Pro doesn’t ship with a disc drive by default, though an optional unit can be attached to allow for the use of boxed games. These have been in short supply recently, with Sony failing to provide enough stock to support the demand.

Generally, the vast majority of PlayStation software these days is purchased through the PS Store, but around 25% of games are still purchased on Blu-ray, which is not an insignificant number. We believe Sony will continue to support physical media, even if it is through an optional attachment like with the PS5 Pro.

But it’s clear the entire entertainment industry is heading in one direction, and that signals all sorts of potential concerns.

In the gaming industry, preservation is already an enormous issue, considering how many games rely on server-side interactions. Some titles, like The Crew, simply cease to play once the servers are switched off. In defence of developer Ivory Tower, it is taking steps to ensure that situation doesn’t reoccur with The Crew 2.

However, as consumers we should question what will happen when, one day, PSN is no longer available. While it’s not something necessarily worth worrying about today, it’s a legitimate concern for the future. Our original PS1 games may need a puff of breath and rub against our shirt sometimes, but they still generally function as they always have, 30 years later. It’s hard to imagine the library of the PS6 persisting for 30 years, isn’t it?

As we mentioned above, we reckon Sony is still seeing just enough success from physical media to persist with it for at least one more generation, but the market share for boxed games is only going to continue to decline from here.

And that’s a worrying trend for those who still appreciate physical ownership of their games.